Security company owner (53) to sit for O-level exams

By Peter Matika

At the age of 53 few people would think it necessary to be reading and exchanging notes with 16-year-old pupils. It is just as odd as it sounds that at that age one will be found writing history notes on how Mzilikazi crossed the Limpopo, photosynthesis in Science and weathering in Geography.

But having realised the importance of education and the challenges of having a limitations, Filabusi based former war collaborator is doing just that. He is not just a war collaborator but growing company managing director. He is also a man who has created employment opportunities for his people in the gold rich district of Filabusi in Matabeleland South.

He owns Para Reserve Security and Private Investigators – a security company and he trains the guards himself using his military background.

He said due to financial constraints faced by his parents he only went as far as Grade 5, before leading a poor farm boy’s life in his rural district, but he has defied the odds and pulled himself from the clutches of poverty and today he is admired by many for his business acumen.

Determined to educate himself through the odds, Spare Sithole (53) popularly known as Cde Sithole, worked as a farm labourer and at a mine before joining the army.

“Education is the key to success and a better tomorrow. It is the key to a brighter today and that is what makes it important to me. With education we are able unlock solutions to many of life’s problems and issues that people face wherever they are in the world,” said Sithole, who is very fluent in English and has a good grasp of economic and social issues both locally and internationally.

He said it was after he returned from the army, serving under the Para Reserve Unit, that felt he had a chance to better himself through education and had hopes of owning a business.

“I served under the Zimbabwe Para Military Company, as a company commander from 1983 to 1986, based at One Brigade. I felt my life was incomplete while I was serving and I constantly was at loggerheads with my conscious, as to how I would better not only myself but my family and Zimbabwe as a whole. That is when I decided to teach myself how to read and further my education,” he said.

“After familiarising myself with the basics of education, I could converse better with people as I could reason better with them. Also with a knack for protecting my kinsmen I wondered how I could do that, as I was no longer in the army. The only logical method I realised was to establish my own company – a security firm.”

He also said education played a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy and in addition, education improved people’s lives in such areas as health, civic participation, political interest and happiness.

“Educated individuals live longer, participate more actively in politics and in the community where they live, commit fewer crimes and rely less on social assistance. I too as a citizen of Zimbabwe have aspirations to one day be a leader,” said Sithole, who is also active in the Zanu-PF structures in Matabeleland South.

After saving money he wondered what he could do with it.

“Before I established the company in 2003, I thought of a suitable name I could give it and the only logical name that came to mind was the name of the unit I served under – Para Military Company. So I decided to name my company Para Reserve Security and Private Investigators,” he said.

He noted that the company had humble beginnings before it shot up to being a big security firm.

“Obviously like any other business that was just beginning, the going was tough. I had a long journey in convincing people that my company would one day be noted among the best in Zimbabwe, Matabeleland to be precise, not that I only want to focus on this region,” he said.

As his company started to grow and realise profits, he managed to procure a stand in Filabusi’s CBD, where he built the company premises, the headquarters of the firm.

“So far there is a total of about 43 guards, working in Bulawayo, Gweru, Gwanda and here in Filabusi. We are also trying to win tenders so that we grow even bigger. There are obviously other well established security companies but we do wish and hope to see indigenous ones such as this one grow to be the best,” he said.

The security company specialises in corporate and commercial guarding, offers armed, and unarmed 24 hour monitoring and armed response. It also offers neighbourhood patrol schemes, security at special events and a dog section.

“As a growing company we are likely to procure cash in transit security vehicles and will be able to offer that as a service as well. We do offer it at the moment but it hasn’t become popular, as we don’t possess the suitable equipped vehicles for the service. I train all the guards and have subordinates, who I imparted some of my knowledge, which I learnt while in the army, to train new comers to the firm,” he said.

Cde Sithole has nine children, whom he has all educated and hopes to see following in his footsteps. One of them is a holder of degree in Media and Society Studies from Midlands State Univerisity.

“I had a total of nine children but one passed away. I hope they do follow in my footsteps and become respectable citizens,” he said.

Sithole is also into commercial farming, having acquired a farm through the land reform programme. He also has interests in mining in Filabusi.

“I have a farm, which I acquired through the land reform programme. I love to be close to nature and I believe as a human being we have to produce food to feed not only ourselves but the world,” he said.

Asked about his lifestyle when not in the office, he said he enjoyed reading, particularly the newspaper, as the English was well revised and assisted him in his studies.

“If I am not in the office I enjoy reading the newspaper that’s basically all I do. It also helps me with my English studies. I also enjoy being outdoors and as a person that grew up in a rural setup. I am not for the extravagant lifestyle, as I believe it is a waste of money and is toxic to our African culture,” he said.

Sithole mentioned that as part of his endevour to better himself through education he would be sitting for his O-level examinations in November this year, where he would be writing History, Commerce, Integrated Science, Geography and English.

“I will be sitting for my O-levels for the first time and I hope to pass. I registered for five subjects and have been seriously studying. At my age most people would have given up or found it pointless to educate themselves but I find it a necessary requirement to be a respectable citizen of the world, who is able to contribute strategic opinions in building the nation. Ukufunda akupheli,” he said. Sunday News